Ranking the 10 Most Shocking No-Hitters/Perfect Games in MLB History

Felix Hernandez is the latest pitcher to throw a perfect game. He is one of the best players in the majors right now, so it is not that shocking that he was perfect.

There have been a number of starters that have thrown no-hitters that were certainly shockers, though. Many of these pitchers did not have great careers in the majors. Others were able to throw no-hitters in moments when there was added pressure on them.

Each one of these pitchers is in the same company of pitchers such as Nolan Ryan, Cy Young and Christy Mathewson. This likely the only time that the pitchers on this list can be compared to those Hall of Famers.

10) Len Barker

Photo Credit: The Cleveland Leader

Len Barker spent 11 season in the major leagues, but there is one night that will always stand out: On May 15, 1981, Barker threw a perfect game against the Toronto Blue Jays. It was certainly a shocking night.

Entering that season, Barker was 31-24 with a 4.24 ERA. The 1981 season would be the best year of Barker's career. In addition to his perfect game, he also was an All-Star.

9) Jim Abbott

Photo Credit: Baseball Almanac

Jim Abbott is an absolutely incredible story, as he was able to reach the major leagues despite the fact that he was born with a birth defect that left him without a right hand (h/t SABR). Abbott did not let this hold him back, and he had a long major league career. He had 87 wins and a 4.25 ERA over 10 seasons.

On September 4, 1993, Abbott threw a game that pitchers dream about. He joined the distinct group of pitchers that have thrown a no-hitter when he blanked the Cleveland Indians.

8) Dallas Braden

Dallas Braden struggled during his first two seasons in the major leagues, but he began to turn things around in 2009 when he went 8-9 with a 3.89 ERA.

Things would only get better for Braden the following year.

Braden's start on May 9, 2010 against the Tampa Bay Rays occurred on Mother's Day, and it would be an incredible day for him and his family. He recorded out after out, and when the game was over, Braden had a perfect game.

The moment was even more special for Braden, who had lost his mother to cancer when he was in high school (h/t Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle).

7) Don Larsen

Pitching in the World Series certainly increases the amount of pressure on a starter. But Don Larsen was unfazed by the additional weight that pitching in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series carried.

Up to that point in his career, Larsen had a 30-40 record, and he had struggled in his in his two previous World Series starts. But Larsen put in the greatest pitching performance in postseason history and threw a perfect game against the Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 5.

5) Bud Smith

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Bud Smith was once considered the 39th-best prospect in the game by Baseball America (via Baseball-Reference). But Smith was not able to put things together when he reached the major leagues, except for one instance.

Smith had seven wins during his major league career, but one of them was a no-hitter. The San Diego Padres were no-hit by Smith on September 3, 2001.

Smith did finish the year fourth in the National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2001, but he would then struggle mightily in the majors the next year.

2) Bobo Holloman

There are a lot of emotions going through a pitcher's mind when he makes his first start in the major leagues. He is hoping that he can put together a good start as he begins his career in the majors.

To be fair, Bob Holloman had made four relief appearances prior to his first start, but that does not undermine his accomplishment. Holloman threw a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Athletics to pick up his first career win.

Holloman would go on to win just two more games that season, in what would be the only year he was in the major leagues.

1) Dock Ellis

Dock Ellis had a solid major league career, but there is certainly one outing that stands out more than others: Ellis threw a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres on July 12, 1970.

What makes Ellis' no-hitter so shocking is the fact that he did it while he was high on LSD. Stories from Ellis' performance include the fact that he believed that it was Richard Nixon umpiring the game and calling balls and strikes (h/t Billy Witz of The New York Times).

It is absolutely incredibly that Ellis was able to throw a no-hitter while he was so out of it.